Septic systems are a type of on-site sewage facility (“OSSF”) which can be installed to handle wastewater and sewage (collectively referred to herein as “wastewater”) from buildings that are not situated closely to a main sewage line. The need for a septic system is often associated with rural areas, or older buildings and technology. However, a significant portion of the United States population still relies on a septic system and even large cities have entire neighborhoods and suburbs that still require septic systems.
While some septic systems may be installed and operate problem free for many years, there are a number of common issues that can impact their performance and usability. As an example, some septic systems include a septic tank, which can have a conventional grinder pump system installed therein. The grinder pump system may be configured to reduce wastewater to an easily pumped form and then pump it away from a home or other structure to a remote sewer line or a leach field. As with many motorized devices, a grinder pump system can fail without warning despite proper maintenance. When a grinder pump fails, a septic system can quickly become backed up, resulting in various problems, including an inability to remove wastewater from the structure, and, if not corrected quickly enough, an overflow of wastewater into the structure.
Some septic systems have alarms which rely on float switches to detect when the wastewater level in a septic tank rises above a certain level and alert a homeowner or occupant to a potential issue. When functioning properly, such an alarm can provide early warning of a grinder pump failure or other fault and allow an individual to act before wastewater overflows into the structure. However, as with other electric components, such an alarm system can also fail due to loss of power or an electrical fault and provide a homeowner or occupant with a false sense of security.
While a variety of septic systems have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor(s) has made or used an invention as described herein.
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.